Tag Archives: Waking Ned Devine

Netflix just doesn’t know what to do with me. I don’t know how well the rating system works for most people, but for me it’s quite awful. I’m a hard nut to crack when it comes to movies, as I frown on traditional Hollywood nonsense, but also get turned off by the more pretentious art films. At the same time, I like movies like The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover and Happiness, but also like Airheads and Tremors. As such, Netflix thinks I’ll give basically every movie ever made, not counting truly awful Hollywood fare, around 2 1/2 to 3 stars. Every now and then it does give something more than 3 1/2, and on those occasions, it’s usually correct. But otherwise, the system has no idea.

The one thing Netflix does seem to think I’ll love is anything at all on TV. And why does this happen? It appears that if you rate a few programs highly, Netflix believes you’ll like any TV program DVD. The worst offense was when it recommended Laguna Beach to me. Apparently, if I like Family Guy, I’ll like Laguna Beach.

If it the AI thinks like that, Netflix just can’t work for anyone.

And so we get to today’s recommendation. Let’s compare, shall we? Netflix summaries:

Waking Ned Devine:

How can dead Irishman Ned Devine collect his lottery winnings? Well, longtime cronies Jackie O’Shea (Ian Bannen) and Michael O’Sullivan (David Kelly) have the answer. After discovering that Ned croaked from the shock of hitting the jackpot, Jackie and Michael mastermind a scheme to impersonate the lucky stiff and collect his prize money. Now all they need to do is persuade the rest of Tulaigh Mohr’s denizens to go along…

Cadfael: The Virgin in the Ice

In this popular PBS mystery series, Derek Jacobi (Gladiator) stars as the sleuthing 12th century monk Cadfael. Once a sailor and adventurer, Cadfael has settled into a religious life at the Shrewsbury Abbey, where he flourishes as the resident gardener and amateur detective. In this episode, Cadfael is confronted by the haunting murder of a young nun and the shocking truth of his own past.

Because I like Waking Ned Devine, a light, very amusing comedy about a small Irish village and winning the lottery, I’ll like Cadfael: The Virgin in the Ice, a dark and moody British TV drama about a 12th century monk investigating a haunting murder.

As one reviewer said of Cadfael, “This episode is disturbing & dark, and as cold as the snowy winter setting of the story…” As for Waking Ned Devine, another review wrote: “Seriously though, what isn’t great about watching old men ride naked on Motorcycles?”

Well, at least there’s one thing that’s similar between these two. Old men riding naked on motorcycles can be quite dark and disturbing. And, to be honest, it probably was cold for David Kelly to have ridden the motorcycle while naked.